‘Rel Power fully commited to the Dadri project’

While a recent judgement by the Allahabad High Court quashing the earlier notification of the UP government on land acquisition for Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power’s 7,400 megawatt power project at Dadri has sparked a controversy, the company’s CEO, JP Chalasani, says the verdict is only a temporary hurdle. Excerpts from an interview:

On the Dadri project

It needs to be understood that the Allahabad High Court has not set aside the land acquisition for Dadri project. There are certain procedures that were left out earlier by the state government, which needs to be compiled with. Reliance Power is fully committed to implementing the Dadri project. There is no question of its re-allocation.

It is very clear in the MoU (the Ambani family agreement) as also the de-merger agreement (between the Ambani brothers) that the 28 million standard cubic metres of gas per day from Reliance’s KG-D6 gas fields is for Dadri and other power projects. So, it is incorrect to assume that the gas was only for Dadri.

On alternatives if Dadri land is denied

This is a hypothetical question. We already have in possession legal documents that entitles us to 2,100 acres of land out of the total 2500 acres. The state government has paid over Rs 150 crore as compensation to the farmers (at the rate of Rs 7.5 lakh a acre). Why should we assume anything at this point of time?

On other gas projects

The gas allocation of 28 mmscmd from Reliance can fuel 8,000 megawatts of power capacity. Apart from Dadri, we have clearances for a 4,000 mw project at Maharashtra, while two sites have been identified in Gujarat for another 4,000-mw project. At Samalkot in Andhra Pradesh, we have plans to expand from 1,400 mw to 4,000 mw.